The US House of Representatives has unanimously approved legislation to reform the way the Pentagon buys weapons.
The House voted, 411-0, on Thursday to approve compromise legislation worked out by negotiators on Tuesday. The bill was unanimously approved by the Senate on Wednesday night.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton said the bill won broad support in Congress because weapons programme cost overruns and schedule delays were rampant.
The Government Accountability Office estimates nearly 70% of the Pentagon's 96 biggest weapons programs were over budget in 2008.
The legislation would create a new Pentagon office responsible for estimating the cost of new programmes and led by a director who reports to the defense secretary.
It would also put a bigger focus on testing new weapons before they enter production.
The changes are being closely watched by the Pentagon's biggest defense contractors: Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman Corp, General Dynamics Corp and BAE Systems Plc.
